


Astrid and Molly’s Excellent Roadtrip

by whichlights



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Road Trips, angst if u think about it too long like i did, major character un-death, most of it is just astrid and molly feel good friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 17:31:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15935063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whichlights/pseuds/whichlights
Summary: Astrid embarks on a quest across the continent to find Caleb. She finds a new friend along the way and also thinks a lot about life.





	Astrid and Molly’s Excellent Roadtrip

**Author's Note:**

> that letter tho

_ To whom it may concern: _

_ I am trying to reach a young lady named Astrid, no last name given, who was a student about eleven years ago at your Academy. She has inherited a bit of money from a distant relative, her uncle Leonard Hyphen Leonard, from the town of Nigeria. His estate has employed me to find her in order to deliver the vast sums of money. Please reach out to me with her last known contact information or address. You can write me care of the Pillow Trove hotel, Zadash, attention Mrs. Lavore Esquire. My legal practice thanks you in advance. _

_ The legal practice of Nott and Brave lawfirm.  _

~~~

“Oh, my gods, Eodwulf, Eodwulf you have to look at this,” Astrid cackled, careful not to squish the letter beyond readability as she laughed. “Eodwulf, please, look at this.”

Her friend gave a sigh and looked at her over the top of his glasses to where she was laughing her ass off on the couch in his study. “Really? What could possibly be so funny?”

“I got  _ mail _ .” Astrid started laughing again. “Trying to give me money. Claiming my, quote, ‘uncle Leonard Hypen Leonard’ has left me ‘vast sums of money’.”

“That is the worst scam I have ever heard of.”

“Isn’t it?” Astrid started laughing even more, sitting down as she did so. “I mean, how do they even know my name, right? Lucky guess?”

“Who knows, right? I mean, how many people can possibly be named Astrid?”

“They… almost got the time right, too.” Astrid stopped laughing and gave the letter a reread. “Eleven years. That’s only a few off. How can a scam be so specific?”

“Astrid. Astrid, whatever you are thinking,  _ stop _ .”

“Eodwulf. It’s Caleb.”

“Astrid, two months ago, you were convinced that a stray cat that let you pet his ears was a Polymorphed Caleb.”

“It’s not like he wouldn’t be able to ever do that- he’s specialized in transmutation-”

“Astrid…” Eodwulf sighed. “Caleb wouldn’t send letters. If he did, he wouldn’t do it under the guise of giving you money. Just… please accept that he’s dead, and mourn.”

Astrid slumped forward, shoulders sinking. “He… you don’t know he’s dead,” she muttered. “No one does.”

“No one has heard from him in five years. He, with no sign of recovery after eleven years, ran away from the asylum and hasn’t been seen since. Please, for your own sake, just accept that he’s gone.”

Astrid sighed. “Doesn’t it hurt every time you say that?”

“More than you can imagine,” Eodwulf said, and then went back to his work.

Astrid read over the letter one last time. “Well, I’m going to Zadash.”

“Astrid-”

“I know it’s not going to be Caleb!” She sighed. “I would just… like to meet whoever sent this.”

“You’re an awful liar.”

“Shut up.”

~~~

“A forwarding address?”

“Yes. It seems whoever sent you this letter has left town.”

“That’s…”

“Was it important? I can give you the address.”

“Please do.”

The receptionist at the Pillow Trove dug around in her files, and Astrid stood there awkwardly, clutching her letter to her chest.  _ Maybe this really was a bad idea… _

“Ah, here it is!” The receptionist handed her a piece of paper. “The forwarding address of your Mrs. Lavore Esquire is on the Menagerie Coast.”

Astrid read the paper. “Are you sure this is the right one?”

“It’s what’s in our records.”

“Thank you. Um, love your hair!” Astrid practically ran out of the building. 

While it made absolutely no sense for an unknown law firm to be sharing space with a famed prostitute- and even if they did, to leave the Ruby of the Sea’s information as their own -it definitely made Astrid even more intrigued than she already was. She really had to see this through. Honestly, she thought she might explode otherwise.

She walked back out of the Tri-Spires, nodding to the guards as she went. She could, in theory, see if anyone had set up a Teleportation Circle. She’d never been to the Menagerie Coast herself, but maybe-

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t even notice as she completely ran into someone. “I- I’m so sorry,” she started, then froze.

The person was a tiefling, with purple skin, red eyes, and curled horns. Small patches of lichen and flowers seemed to be growing from their horns, which were also pierced with several shiny bits of jewelry, and their clothes were covered in dirt and bits of leaf. They did have an elegantly crafted and ridiculously extravagant coat as well. 

Something about the bags under their eyes, the long coat, and the clothes that never seemed to stay clean longer than a day made Astrid’s heart twinge.

Astrid held out her hand. “Hi.”

The tiefling looked at her appraisingly, then shook her hand with a smile. They didn’t say anything, so Astrid started rambling. “I’m really sorry about running into you, I was thinking about other things. I’m Astrid, by the way!”

The tiefling just gave a small shrug.

“You don’t talk, do you? Am I making this more awkward?”

The tiefling held up one finger, shook their head, then two fingers and shook their head again.

“First question no, second question no.” 

The tiefling nodded. 

“Oh, that’s good! Is there any way you can tell me your name?”

The tiefling shrugged, then started digging in their pockets, holding out a dirty, smudgy, barely legible piece of paper.

Astrid took it and read it- well, as much as she could. It was dirty, and the most she could make out was “Mollyma” and “ind us” and “Nip”. The handwriting… oh.  _ Oh _ .

“Do you know someone named Caleb Widogast?” Astrid demanded. “He- he has red hair and blue eyes and he’s smart and-”

The tiefling gave a so-so gesture with their hand. 

“This- this is his handwriting. Where did you get this?”

The tiefling gave another shrug. 

Astrid tangled her hands in her hair. She wanted to scream. “I- do you know where he would have gone?”

The tiefling gave a so-so gesture.

“What does that mean!” Astrid snapped. The tiefling took a step back. “I- I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled. Your name, does it start with Molly?”

The tiefling gave a hesitant shrug. 

“Do you mind if I call you that?”

The tiefling shook their head. 

“Can you read the rest of the note, Molly? It’s a little smudged, do you know what it said before?”

The tiefling shook their head. 

Astrid sighed. “Well, do you want to find Caleb? He was the one who left you this note. I think I have an idea about how to find him. He might have had another friend help him with this letter to find me. Do the names ‘Mrs. Lavore Esquire’ and ‘Nott and Brave’ mean anything to you?”

They made a gesture that Astrid understood to be “slow down.”

She laughed a little. “Sorry, I talk pretty fast. Uh, first question, do you recognize the name ‘Lavore Esquire’?”

Molly shook their head no.

“How about ‘Nott’ or ‘Brave’?”

Molly shook their head yes.

Astrid grinned. “Someone- someone who might fit the person I described? A wizard, with red hair and blue eyes?”

Molly nodded again. 

Astrid started jumping up and down. “I- do you want to come with me to find them all?”

Molly nodded empathetically, mirroring Astrid’s up and down jumps. She giggled and hugged them fiercely. “Oh, this is great! This is perfect! Don’t worry, I have a horse, and I know where they should be! We- I’m going to find Caleb.”

Astrid froze up a little, the reality hitting in. “I’m going to see Caleb.”

~~~

Molly didn’t talk at all for the first few days of travel. Astrid’s horse went faster than walking, but slower than if it had just been her. She didn’t really care- the extra time meant extra time to plan, and it felt mean to abandon Molly now.

Astrid filled the time on the horse with a silent companion the only way she could figure out how to and not be overly cold and unfriendly- talking. A lot.

“-so, Eodwulf, he’s my other best friend, and we’re super close, but not as close as I was with Caleb, because I’ve known him longer, but anyways, Eodwulf thinks Caleb is dead, but he can’t be, because your note is proof! Do you know what it said before it got all smudgy?”

Molly, from behind her, tapped on her shoulder twice for no.

“Was it always this smudgy, then?”

Molly tapped once for yes.

Astrid thought for a bit. “Can you read?”

Molly didn’t tap for a while. Then they tapped a no.

“Well, that’s okay, I’ll teach you! Next time we stop to camp, I can start to teach you to read! It’s not that hard, I guess. I’ve never really thought about it.”

“Okay.”

Astrid almost fell off the horse. “Did you just talk?”

Molly tapped a yes.

“That’s- that’s good! That’s good! Don’t feel pressured or stressed about doing it more, okay?”

“Okay.”

~~~

Within another few days, Molly was talking more, could read their name and Astrid’s, and they were both closer to the Menagerie Coast. When they camped for the night, Astrid asked them questions while she scratched letters in the dirt in her Tiny Hut. “So, how much do you remember about Caleb?”

“Some.” Molly shrugged. “Not his name.”

“So, the name Caleb Widogast means nothing to you, but when I describe him?”

“I remember a wizard that looks like him. I think.” They shrugged again. “It’s all fuzzy.”

“What do you remember?”

“A blue tiefling. She likes donuts and plays pranks but I don’t know her name. The guy I think is Caleb, I kissed him on the forehead and asked if he was okay one time. There’s someone named Nott the Brave, but I don’t know what she looks like. There’s a girl named Beau. We snap at each other a lot.”

“How’d you loose them?”

“I don’t remember.”

“How’d you meet them?”

“I don’t remember.”

Astrid paused, and started drawing circles in the dirt with her stick. “I have something I can do. I can make you remember something with absolute perfect clarity, as long as it happened less than thirty days ago. I’m not powerful enough to reach anything further than that.”

Molly paused. “I think we met about a month and a half ago. And… I don’t want you rummaging around in my head.”

“Alright.” Astrid poked at the dirt. “Was Caleb okay?”

“From what I remember… He seemed very sad. But he wasn’t sick or anything.”

Astrid nodded a bit. “I can be okay with sad. At least sad means he’s alive.”

“Did you think he wasn’t?”

“I… don’t know what I thought. Whatever it was, I just wasn’t willing to lose my best friend. That’s why I’m here.”

~~~

A few days later, and they were restocking supplies in a small town. Molly is darting around like they’d never been in a town before, or it’d been a while. 

The town was called Alfield, and it seemed to be in the process of rebuilding. Everywhere they went, Molly got stares, whispers behind their back, always of awe. 

“Have you been here before?” She muttered after one particularly brave child came up to say hello and thank you. Molly had ruffled the kid’s hair, said it was no problem at all, and sent the kid back to her mom. 

“Not that I remember?” Molly hissed back. “That’s just what you say when someone thanks you, right?”

“I think so. I was never really good with people. I like books, and I can read people okay. I  _ understand  _ them I just can’t… be around them good enough.”

“Nothing I say ever seems to affect people. I don’t think I was good at doing it, but I do like being around people. Maybe that comes from the circus.”

“You were in the circus?”

Molly paused. “I think so, yeah. There was someone… a best friend. Tall, buff, sometimes spectral skeletal wings popped out, she left a lot…”

“Are you close with her?”

“I am.”

“What’s her name?”

Molly looked absolutely devastated. “I don’t remember.”

They continued on for a while, and were ready to leave town when one particular crownsguard came up to them. Probably an officer by the look of them. 

“Molly?” They muttered. “I- I don’t understand.”

Molly’s eyes lit up. “Bryce. Watchmaster Bryce.”

“The others told me you died.”

“Others?” Astrid asked insistently. 

Molly gave a very sollom nod. “So I did die.”

“You  _ died _ ?”

“Who is this?” Bryce asked, pointing to Astrid. 

“She’s looking for Caleb,” Molly said. 

“Caleb? Is Alfield’s favorite wizard in trouble?”

“No!” Astrid said. “I’m… an old friend. I didn’t think he was alive, and I wanted to see him again.”

Bryce nodded a little. “I’m still- Molly, your friends seemed certain that you died.”

“I… I don’t remember, but it’s the only thing that makes sense. I guess I don’t stay dead well.”

“Well, Alfield is happy to see you,” Bryce said. “I’m still on shift. How long are you staying?”

Astrid looked at Molly. “How long do you want to stay?”

Molly thought silently. “We’re leaving tomorrow morning. Have to find the others.”

“Of course,” Bryce said. 

“Ey, Bryce, we need you!”

“Sorry, I have to go. Meet in about an hour for drinks? The Feed and Mead tavern.”

“Of course.”

Bryce jogged off, and Astrid stared at Molly. “I’m sorry, you  _ died _ ?”

“Probably? I dug myself out of the ground.”

“Is that why you… I’m…” Astrid racked her brain. “Your memory. Do you think it’s spotty because you died? How long were you dead?”

“I don’t remember.”

“Who killed you?”

“An ugly bald guy with a glaive. I remember him, then red.”

Astrid tried to process this new information. “Alright. This is fine.”

“You’re freaked out.”

“This is fine!”

“You look pale.”

“It’s not… explained.” Astrid just sighed and made a mental note. “I’ll figure it out later.”

They just shrugged. “Let’s go meet Bryce. Maybe they can tell us about the others.”

“Do you remember them?”

“Yes, but only them. I have no clue what we did in this town.”

The Feed and Mead tavern wasn’t very busy. Molly got a few waves and gave a few back, grinning slightly. Molly didn’t have any money and Astrid didn’t have the foresight to bring more than a few gold for lodging for her horse, so they sat awkwardly in the tavern until Bryce came. 

Bryce immediately bought a large tankard and downed a significant portion of it. Astrid was impressed. “Things have not gotten any easier around here,” they sighed. “Well- Molly, what happened?”

Molly looked at the table. “My memory is a little fuzzy. I guess I died.”

“My condolences.”

“Thanks.” Molly rolled their shoulders back. “The others- they were headed to the Menagerie Coast, apparently?”

Bryce smiled a little. “Yes. They tried to convince me to join them.”

“Were they all okay?”

“Sad that you were gone. Won’t you be a shock.” Bryce gave a small laugh and turned to Astrid. “And you? You’re just looking for Caleb?”

“Yes,” Astrid said. “I need to see him again. I have to.”

“History?” 

“Lots. We’ve known each other since we were…” Astrid tried to do the math, “I don’t even remember. A  _ very  _ long time.”

Bryce smiled tiredly. “Caleb seems a good man. You could do worse. Much worse.”

“He’s smelly,” Molly noted, but it was subdued. Were they-  _ jealous?  _ No, because that assumed-

Oh. 

Astrid shook her head quickly. “No. No, I’m not- I’m not in love with him. I  _ love  _ him, definitely, and we dated for a while, but I’m not in love with him.”

“Sorry for presuming.” Bryce gave her a nod. “Then he’s just a very good friend? Did you two have a falling out?”

_ Fire. There was so much fire.  _

_ “Take them out!” Caleb begged. He was falling, his legs unable to support him, and despite Astrid and Eodwulf holding him up he was falling to his knees. “Take them out!” _

_ Smoke filled the air, screams filled the night. An accident. A terrible accident. That’s what would be reported.  _

_ Caleb’s parents were traitors, and the law demanded they die, and the law kept people safe. The Empire was keeping people safe. It had to be. There wasn’t a point otherwise.  _

_ The Empire wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping Caleb safe.  _

_ “Mr. Widogast, please,” Trent Ikithon said calmly, the only person unaffected by the chaos. Astrid was shaking and Eodwulf was crying and Caleb was screaming. “You are making a scene of yourself.” _

_ There was another shrill scream, then even worse. Utter complete silence except for the crackle and burn of the house.  _

_ Caleb collapsed to his knees and stared blankly at the burning house. He started to speak, open his mouth, but all that came out was a sound between a sob and a scream.  _

“… in a way.”

~~~~

They left Alfield in the morning, and Astrid had asked Bryce to not send a report of her presence. They gave her a strange look and a nod. Astrid trusted them. 

“There’s a town called Trostenwald up ahead,” Molly said one day while they were stopping for a water break for the horse. 

“Do you want to stop there?”

“You’ve been avoiding a lot of towns.”

“I’m… probably not supposed to be here, is the thing.”

“Will you get in trouble?”

“I don’t know. I left without telling Master Ikithon, and I don’t… I don’t want to tell him I’m looking for Caleb.”

“Why not?”

“It’ll be enough of a shock for Caleb to see me, let alone our teacher.”

Molly seemed to be thinking. “Ikithon… is he a government official? Why would he teach you? Are you a politician in training?”

“I’m a transmutation wizard,” Astrid said. “And Master Ikithon also teaches at Soltryce Academy.”

Molly paused. “I have a friend trying to get into Soltryce.”

Astrid thought about that. “It’s a good and challenging school.”

“Caleb went there?”

“He did.”

“You were classmates?”

“Yes.”

“… then why aren’t you in the same place now? Caleb is a smelly hobo wizard who’s afraid of fire, how did he come from the same school as you?”

“What about me?” Astrid asked, getting uncomfortable. This conversation was getting a little too close to her personally to be comfortable. “What makes it hard to believe Caleb and I are the same?”

“You’re… you give of an aura of confidence. That you know what you’re doing and you’re okay with other people knowing that. Caleb gives off an aura like he’s hiding and doesn’t want people to look at him.”

“I… that makes sense,” Astrid muttered.  _ He wouldn’t have stayed away if he wanted to be found _ . Suddenly his loss hurt all over again. 

“What happened? Something bad?”

“Something bad.”

“Is it why he’s afraid of fire?”

Astrid thought of her best friend screaming. “Probably.”

Molly paused. “Were you there?”

Astrid shuddered at the memory again. She could practically taste the smoke. “I was. I tried to help him but…”

“Was your teacher there?”

“Yes,” Astrid replied in a very small voice. 

“Was it his fault?” Molly asked. 

Yes. 

“I don’t like this conversation anymore.”

“So it was. What did he do to Caleb?”

“Molly, stop.”

“Did your teacher try to burn Caleb?”

“I’m serious,” Astrid snapped. 

Molly snapped back, “did your teacher hurt my friend?”

“You don’t even remember him!” Astrid yelled. “You couldn’t even remember his name, so don’t act like you’re so concerned for him!”

“I  _ am  _ concerned for him, Astrid!” Molly growled. 

“Then stop pressing!”

“Is it really that bad? What could have possibly happened? How long has it been since you saw him? He mentioned something about prison a while back-“

“He was in  _ prison?”  _ Astrid shrieked. 

“You don’t know anything about who he is now!” Molly said firmly, crossing their arms. “You haven’t seen him in years. He’s going to be different than you remember, Astrid.”

“That’s why I’m looking for him! After what happened, I have to know he’s okay!”

“So  _ what happened _ ?”

Astrid froze. Molly’s eyes were bright and insistent, and Astrid felt her resolve crumbling. “It’s a very long story.”

“We have nothing but time.”

“It’s my story, too, Molly. It’s about me, too.”

Molly sat down on the grass. Astrid sat down in front of them. 

“I… I think I did the right thing. Or at least the best thing for the circumstances. I did what I was taught to do, I did what I thought would protect people, and uphold the law of the Empire, so I know it sounds bad but please understand I did what I still think was the best thing. It haunts me everyday but I did the  _ right thing _ .”

“What did you do?” Molly muttered. 

“I killed my parents. We all did.”

And Astrid told them the story. 

~~~~

Caleb and I have known each other for practically our whole lives. We grew up in a small township called Blumenthal, along with Eodwulf. He was my best friend. Eodwulf is a good friend, but Caleb and I always just… clicked. 

Caleb was better at magic than both of us. He was better at talking to people than I was. He was better at knowing what people thought than Eodwulf. He just… everything worked for him, no matter what he tried. 

I was really bad at talking to people, and being around them, but I had Caleb. When he started displaying signs of arcane talent, people wanted to send him to the Academy. I panicked, a little, thinking I’d loose him and be alone, but I also had a bit of a knack for the arcane and I thought… why not?

Most of the kids in Soltryce are rich, and come from rich families. Soltryce doesn’t let just anyone in. But sometimes they let the underdog in. And in our little town, they accepted Caleb, Eodwulf, and I. All three of us. We didn’t have any room for failure. 

We studied for a while, and then Trent Ikithon, one of the leaders of the Cerberus Assembly, found us, and he handpicked all of us. All three of us were to go to his house in the country for private study. I mean, isn’t that the best opportunity you could ask for?

When we didn’t do well, he punished us. That… that usually sucked. But we got better, stronger, and we were going to do good for the Empire. Caleb and I dated for a while in there, but that’s another story. 

So, after Trent Ikithon had taught us all he needed to, he brought in traitors. People who would have hurt the Empire. So we killed them. 

(That’s fucked up.)

No, it was the good thing to do. Don’t look at me like that, they were going to betray the Empire, and the Empire keeps people safe. It’s not perfect, but it’s  _ good _ . 

After a while of that, some punishment, some executions, some teaching… well. 

I went home. I just went home, and in the middle of the night I saw my parents hiding symbols of revolution that traitors wore. My parents were  _ traitors _ , Molly.

I told Caleb, and his parents had been talking about revolution, too. I don’t know if they were conspiring, but we told our teacher. Eodwulf’s parents were… also traitors. 

So we told our teacher, and one night we went back to our town and we said hello to Eodwulf’s parents and he slit their throats. Then we went to my house and had dinner and I poisoned their wine. Then… we went to Caleb’s house. 

We got a horse carriage and put it against the one door and stood back and Caleb set it on fire and we were fucking proud of ourselves. Then there was a scream, and his expression wavered, then another scream and it faltered and as the screams got louder he… broke. 

After that night he… he was never the same. He was completely silent for two days, didn’t seem to understand a word we said, stared off into nothing and cried. Master Ikithon eventually uh… locked him in an asylum. 

Caleb spent a while there. I visited but he never got worse or better, he just sat in his room and stared into space and occasionally screamed in mourning and it was awful. 

Five years ago, he ran away from the asylum. I didn’t know if it was because he got better or worse, or what it meant, or if he was okay. 

So, yeah. I killed my parents, and Caleb killed his, but the only difference between us is maybe he loved them more. Which sounds like such a shitty thing to say.

~~~~

By the time she was done, Molly’s eyes were wide and shining with tears. “You…”

“They were traitors. They would have hurt people,” Astrid insisted. “It… we’re still allowed to be sad about it, but it was the right thing.”

“You were  _ kids _ ,” Molly said. “You- you were children, and he forced you to kill people.”

“We wanted to,” Astrid said. 

“You’ve been brainwashed.”

Astrid snorted. “I’ve heard that before. Usually from the people against me.”

“Astrid-“

“No.” She stood up. “I’m done talking about this. You know now. Let’s go.”

After a moment, Molly got up and they went on their way. 

~~~~

They eventually came to the boundary of the Menagerie Coast and got in with little hassle, mostly because they had no actual supplies to possibly be trade. 

“Where to now?” Molly asked once they were past the border. 

Astrid took a while to respond, “I can’t do this.”

“What?”

“I- I can’t face him, I can’t. I thought I could and I’m here and I  _ can’t. _ ”

“Astrid-“

“Molly, he’s… what if he’s still broken and what if he forgot me and what if this was the stupidest decision of my life?”

Molly didn’t answer for a very long time. “The blue tiefling that was my friend. I’m remembering a little more, forgetting a bit more, it’s weird. But the blue tiefling is named Jester, she danced with Caleb when he was drunk and she said he mentioned another girl’s name. She insisted the name was secret.”

“Dancing?” Astrid found herself smiling a little. “I… I always asked him to school dances so we wouldn’t stand out and be alone. It was our thing.”

“That’s what I thought. He still thinks about you. So go get him.”

“Molly, I’m gay.”

“Yeah yeah, my point stands. Go. He’s your friend.”

“… he’s yours, too.”

“Then where to?”

“Nicodranas. The Ruby of the Sea’s address is where your friends will be.”

“The Mighty Nein.” Astrid looked back and Molly was smiling. “We were called the Mighty Nein.”

~~~~

“Excuse me-“ Astrid wiggled past a crowd in the streets to get to a street vendor selling fruit. “Where is the Ruby of the Sea’s place?”

The vendor gave her a look somewhere between scandalized and amused. “You can’t afford her, lass.”

Astrid felt her face turn bright red. “No, I just- got a letter that-“

“Are you going to buy some fruit?”

“No?”

“Then make room for the people who will.”

Astrid trudged away, and Molly held her hand. “It’s okay. We’ll figure something out.”

“How hard can it be to find the most popular prostitute in the damn country,” Astrid muttered. “I mean,  _ really _ .”

“We could wander the city?”

“I guess,” Astrid sighed. “Maybe someone else will be nicer.”

“Astrid, no offense, but you’re worse at getting people to listen to you than  _ I  _ am. You’re still dressed in the uniform of your own Empire, and I’m a partially decomposed tiefling.”

“The flowers look really cute though,” Astrid pointed out. “It’s not like it got on your face or anywhere.”

“Hense  _ partially _ .” Molly was smiling though. 

“Alright, here we go.”

~~~~

It was sundown by the time they gave up, with Astrid using the absolute last of her gold to get them a room for the night. 

“This is the  _ worst,”  _ Astrid screamed into a pillow. “The actual literal  _ worst _ . Nothing! It was all for nothing because I’m not fucking smart enough to find a house.”

Molly didn’t respond. They just gave her a hug and kissed the top of her head. Astrid felt herself relaxing, then gave a shaky breath in. “I need to clear my head. Be right back.”

Astrid went outside. The lighthouse in the distance seemed to stare down at her judgmentally, and she fought back a scream. It wasn’t  _ fair _ . She’d tried, so hard, and she’d failed. 

She went back inside. 

~~~~

“We… we can do a sweep of the town, then we have to go back home,” Astrid sighed in the morning as she saddled her horse up. “No more money for loose threads.”

Molly nudged her shoulder. “They’re somewhere in the city. Let’s go.”

They split up and agreed to meet up at the gates at noon, covering more ground. Astrid wandered the parts of the city she hadn’t been to, and carefully avoiding the crownsguard stationed here. 

Searching didn’t do anything, and when she met Molly back at the gate, they didn’t know anything either. 

“Do you want to go to the beach?” Molly asked. 

“I’ve never seen the ocean.”

“Neither have I.”

Astrid gave a short smile. “Yeah. Let’s go to the beach.”

Neither of them went into the water, instead just waiting on the edge of the beach.

“It sucks we didn’t find them.”

“It sucks no one will tell us where the Ruby of the Sea is.”

“It just…”

“Sucks.”

Molly kicked a rock into the water, scaring off a seagull. “I wanted…”

They didn’t finish the sentence. 

Astrid blinked. “Wait. I’m so stupid, I’m so  _ stupid _ , Molly, Molly I’m a wizard.”

“And?”

“I can  _ find people _ .”

Their eyes widened. “You-“

Astrid grabbed their hand with one hand and her focus with the other. “Come on!”

She cast Locate Creature as she ran through the city, chanting arcane words under her breath as she ran through the streets.  _ Come on Caleb, come on I’m looking for Caleb Widogast. Come on come on come  _ on-

Ping. 

Right on the edge of the radius, a ping of location. Astrid froze. 

“Found him,” she whispered. 

“You’re kidding.”

“This way.”

Astrid continued to drag them along and oh she was crying. She was crying and she couldn’t stop crying. 

She was in front of a building now and Caleb was inside it. She almost opened the door, then froze. 

Molly tightened their grip on her hand. “He’s your friend.”

Astrid knocked on the door. 

There was a long, awful pause, then the door opened slightly. “He- _ llooooo _ ?”

“I- I’m looking for someone,” Astrid said, trying to peek inside. All she saw was a bit of blue. “Uh, I was invited I think?”

“One moment!”

The door shut again, and Astrid could hear whispering but not make out the words. The door opened very slightly again. “I’m sorry but no one’s home but me and I’m just the maid-“

“Caleb!” Astrid finally shouted. “Widogast!”

Molly groaned. “You’re subtle,” they hissed. 

The person at the door opened the door a little more. It was a tiefling- a blue tiefling. 

“Are you Jester?” Astrid asked. 

The tiefling gasped. “How did you know?”

“Well-“

Molly pushed her away. “Jester. Jester Lavore. You like donuts and you serve the Traveler and you like drawing and-“

The door opened all the way. “Molly?” The tiefling girl- Jester -was crying now. 

“Yeah,” Astrid managed. “Now where’s Caleb?”

Jester’s mouth made an O. “You’re her. Astrid.”

“I am.”

And Caleb came up to the door. 

His face was more shadowed, the bags under his eyes were more pronounced, he looked sadder, and surprised and scared and Astrid felt her throat go tight. 

“You grew a beard,” she managed. 

Caleb’s eyes flicked from her to Molly to Jester. “How…”

“I got a letter,” Astrid said. “From a Mrs. Lavore Esquire?”

Caleb glared at Jester. 

“From Nott and Brave law firm?”

Caleb turned his glare to someone inside the house. “We  _ will  _ have words about this.”

Astrid drooped. “You didn’t send it.”

“Of course I didn’t, why would I-“ Caleb looked at her face. She was sure she looked heartbroken. 

“Astrid. It’s good to see you again.”

“It’s good to see you too.”

“You have Molly.”

“I do.”

“How?”

“I ran into them in Zadash.”

Caleb gave a smile. “That sounds like you. Is Eodwulf-“

“Still in Rexxentrum. He thinks you’re dead.”

“You didn’t?”

“Not until I saw a body.”

Caleb gave a small nod. “Alright. Alright, okay.” He was tearing up. 

“Can I… come in?”

“Of course, of course.”

There was a silence. 

Jester cleared her throat. “Molly, would you like to meet Caduceus? He’s a cleric and he drinks dead people tea and-“

“I’d love to,” Molly said, giving Astrid one last pat on the arm before following Jester in, leaving Astrid and Caleb standing at the threshold. 

“Would you do a favor for me?” Caleb asked. 

Astrid paused. “Sure.”

“Let’s go find a cleric that can cast Greater Restoration.”

“Why?”

“Just… humor me.”

Astrid nodded. 

“Uh, I don’t… know what to say.”

“Your friend is hot,” Astrid blurted. “Jester.”

Caleb laughed a little. “I’ll introduce you to Beau. You’ll like her.”

Astrid smiled and awkwardly extended her arms for a hug. 

After a heartbeat, Caleb hugged her back. 

**Author's Note:**

> my tumblr is witchlightsands my dnd sideblog is genderfluidmollymauks. molly IS alive and astrid IS the love of my life.


End file.
